“We meet here in the very heart of American democracy — the Capitol of the United States of America — to receive a hero of that democracy for a final time,” Biden said.
Dole, who had announced in February he was being treated for advanced lung cancer, died on Sunday. Republican and Democratic leaders gathered on Thursday to honor the longtime lawmaker and veteran’s life and service to the nation.
Biden, who noted he served alongside Dole for 25 years in the Senate, described the Kansan as a “giant of our history.”
“And that’s not hyperbole,” Biden continued. “It’s real. Of wit and grace, of principle and persistence, of courage and conviction.”
The President pointed to his own working relationship and friendship with Dole as an example of how lawmakers from different parties with opposing views should work toward common goals.
Biden said he and Dole disagreed on a number of things, “but not on any of the fundamental things. We still found a way to work together.”
“When we prioritize principles over party and humanity over personal legacy, we accomplish far more as a nation,” Dole’s op-ed stated. “By leading with a shared faith in each other, we become America at its best: a beacon of hope, a source of comfort in crisis, a shield against those who threaten freedom.”
Biden said: “May we follow his wisdom and his timeless truth and reach consensus on the basic fundamental principles we all agree on.”
Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi all paid tribute to Dole, praising his public service and character.
“A wounded warrior who spent decades carrying fellow veterans and Americans with disabilities on his shoulders — Bob was the last of the greatest generation to run for president, but he was never stuck in the past. His roots ran deep, but he was always looking to new horizons,” McConnell said.
Schumer said: “To pay tribute to Senator Bob Dole is to honor someone who redefined and elevated what it means to serve country. By 21, Bob had given more of himself than most of us give in a lifetime and then he kept going for 77 years after that.”
Pelosi added: “As I stand here and see his coffin on the catafalque that was built for Lincoln with that flag draped over it, I’m sure many of you here will agree, it’s hard to think of anyone who was more worthy to have a flag draped over his coffin because of his great patriotism to our country.”
This story is breaking and will be updated.